Monday, June 30, 2014

Shut Down Time

Hello all,

"Shut Down Time"

We all need a little time away... Twice a year I shut down the Monday Coffee for about a month. Make sure you spend some time with family and friends this time of year. 

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe



Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
 
"Only the educated are free.
 
-Epictetus
 
READY TO BEGIN AGAIN?
 
Have a child or grandchild who graduated last month?  Whether it's high school or college, commencement exercises mark the end of a full curriculum 
of education - or do they?  In fact, why not ask the graduate?
 
After four or more years of study, homework, reports, science projects, and exams, many graduates would quickly answer that commencement marks the end 
of their education.  In fact, you can often hear students reinforce that line of thinking in their lament, "I'll never pick up another book as long 
as I live!"
 
The definition of "commencement" leads, however, in another direction.  It 
is the beginning, not the end, of a bright future.  It is the beginning of a life-long quest for knowledge, not the slamming shut of the books that 
opened so many new doors.
 
If it's been a few years since you graduated, perhaps you might also benefit from a renewed commencement - by opening some new doors to your own 
life-long learning curve. When's the last time you attended a workshop, bought a taped educational series, or thought about taking college courses 
or embarking on a new degree track?
 
No longer are books the only on-ramp to education. Distance learning over the Internet, tapes, videos, workshops, seminars, and many other educational 
resources are yours for the taking.  Why not let your graduating family member be the inspiration for your own commencement?

Monday, June 23, 2014

Confused

Hello all,

"Confused"

Finally figured out the 2014 Real Estate market.



After the rough start the volume in the offices the two weeks has been great. Is it the beginning of latest spring market ever? Will we have the summer slowdown? Will it be steady for the rest of the year... I honestly do not have the answer.

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe 


Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
 
"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." 
 
~ George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) 
 
MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING! 
 
When's the last time someone told you it's okay to screw things up? Well, unless you're a neurosurgeon or a ballot counter, it's okay! For most of us, a mistake is an action that can be corrected - it's not usually the end of the world, although we're sometimes made to feel that way. Everyone makes mistakes, so don't let somebody else tell you that your mistakes are any worse than theirs. 
 
Of course, we all prefer to succeed rather than to fail. Just remember that most successes actually are the result of at least one failure, if not dozens. Just imagine the realm of scientific discovery - almost every step forward in the name of science really came from taking a lot of steps back! Although trying does not always mean you'll succeed, you'll obviously never succeed without at least trying. 
 
Our mistakes are at least a sign of effort (and of room for improvement!). We just have to keep going until we get it right - study harder, pay more attention to details, listen more carefully. There is honor in persistence - you can't be faulted unless you just give up. We're taught from an early age that mistakes are acceptable as long as you learn from them. 
 
By focusing only on successfully reaching our destination, we tend to overlook the journey and all we can learn (and teach) along the way. Every mistake is an opportunity from which either we or our peers can learn something. In "Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun," author Wess Roberts illustrates that "every hun is useful, if only to serve as a bad example." 
 
We all know the adage about "nothing ventured, nothing gained." If we do nothing, then we teach nothing, learn nothing, and gain nothing. If we are afraid of failure, then we are ultimately doomed to experience it. Embrace life's challenges, do the best that you can do, and be willing to accept the consequences! Make mistakes, but at least make something!

Monday, June 16, 2014

Weekend Roundup

Hello all,

"Weekend Roundup"

Happy Fathers Day to all of the Dad's out there. I had a wonderful day with Lisa and the kids, cookout and Game of Thrones season finally with everyone. Made up for a couple of rounds of snow shoveling...

There was a good article in the Weekend Roundup from MRIS, here is the link.

 http://mrisblog.com/blog/rbi-may-2014-market-update/?utm_source=WhatCounts+Publicaster+Edition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekend+Roundup%3a+Did+the+Spring+Market+Predictions+Pan+Out%3f&utm_content=Read+More+%E2%96%BA

The number we all need to keep an eye on is Year over Year closed sales. They were down 10.6% for May. Inventory and activity in the offices has picked up a bit but where are the buyers... Let's keep plugging away out there.

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe


Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
 
"Leaders are like eagles. They don't flock - you find them one at a time."  
 
~ Unattributed 
 
BE FREE! 
 
In Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits," he talks about focusing on the important to the exclusion of the unimportant. In his own words, "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." 
 
See if you recognize which motivational trainer espoused this similar philosophy: 
 
"There are things within your power, and there are things beyond your power. Within your power are opinion, aim, desire, aversion; in a word, whatever affairs are your own. Beyond your power are body, property, reputation, office; in a word, affairs not properly your own. Concern yourself only with what is within your power. 
 
The essence of good consists of things within your own power; with them there is no room for envy or emulation. For your part, do not desire to be a general, or a senator, or a consul, but to be free; and the only way to do this is a disregard of things which do not lie within your own power." 
 
If you guessed Zig Ziglar, Howard Brinton, or Anthony Robbins, guess again. Its author referred to it as a "field manual for soldiers." It was carried by Frederick the Great on all his campaigns. It was written by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus. 
 
Stephen Covey conveys a similar message when he suggests drawing two concentric circles with a dot in the middle. He equates the dot in the middle to you, the first circle as your area of influence, and the outside circle as your area of concern. He suggests that you concentrate only on the circle of influence, things which you have the power to influence or change. He advises that you disregard those in the area of concern over which you have no influence or power. 
 
YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEK:
 
How much time and energy are you wasting through worry and concern over things you cannot control? Focus your energy and your life on the "main thing" beginning now - then watch your circle of influence begin to grow. Do it now!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Golf Tournament Day

Hello all,

"Golf Tournament Day"

I wanted to say thanks to everyone who be participating in the golf, party bus, dinner or made a contribution. Very pleased to say we will be hitting our goal of $15,000 for the two charities. Awesome feeling and as always, thanks for being with us.

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe

Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
 
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN  
 
~ Robert Frost 
 
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN 
 
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 
 
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 
 
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back. 
 
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." 

Monday, June 2, 2014

Contact Sport

Hello all,

"Contact Sport"

For the last couple of weeks when I have been asked about the 2014 Real Estate Market my answer has been "I am not scared but I am disappointed". We have enough business going on in the offices that we are putting some money in the bank but we thought it would be much better. When I look at some of the individual numbers in the office I imagine some of you are both disappointed and scared. Love me or hate me I need to be the one to tell you it is not the time to be sitting on your ass feeling sorry for yourself. Numbers are down in our competitors offices as well but there is business out there and if it is not coming your way you need to go get it , the year is almost half over. Floor Duty has been very active in Germantown and Aspen Hill yet the floor sheets are only 30%-40% full. I sat on an open house yesterday (because we could not get anyone in the offices to do it) that 12 groups came through, got a great listing lead. To dumb this business down to it's simplest form, it is a "Contact Sport" and we need to be the aggressor. This would be a great time to review your business plan to make sure it matches your income expectations.

Enjoy the coffee,
Joe

Monday Morning Coffee
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust   DON'T FORGET TO PACK YOUR INSIGHT! How wonderful it is to learn new things and see new places! How would we ever grow as individuals if we never experienced anything different from that which we see and do in our daily lives? Two different voyages come to mind, however, when considering the discovery of that which is "new" - an outward journey, and one which turns inward. Your outward "voyage of discovery" takes you to different places and new people. You begin to understand other things outside yourself. This can be as simple as discovering new-found beauty on a wilderness "adventure," or having an engaging conversation or correspondence with someone from a completely different part of the country or the world. The ultimate goal here is not just looking at new things, but looking at things in a new way! A change of scenery can effect a change of mind.But you can still experience a voyage of discovery even if you don't travel anywhere, even if you don't meet anyone new. You don't have to change your surroundings, just the way you look at them - with "new eyes!" Sometimes stepping back and looking again at the Big Picture can reveal things that you never saw before. The solution to an ongoing problem can suddenly manifest itself. This can often be the key to unlocking the door to your happiness - finding a way to change yourself instead of changing what surrounds you. For all those situations that seem to be out of your control, you have to realize that you are always in control of yourself. So much stress comes from frustration. Don't keep running up against that rock that represents your problems. Try to act like the water that simply flows around the rock as it continues its journey downstream. Your inward voyage of change can have dramatic results on how you see what's around you! Enjoy your new outlook!